Nonpartisan Races
Wilson Ho
Age: 66
Job: Retired, banking/financial management
Past: Volunteer on neighborhood board and community groups
What qualifies you to be a City Council member?
There are too many issues and concerns that are on the forefront before our communities, and they seriously need to be addressed. When we have “deadlock” votes on issues that resolve nothing and continuous debates and dissension among nine members, I would like to have a chance to see if I can contribute to help make changes or improvements in the city government. I have worked with city and state issues as a longtime member of the Waimanalo Neighborhood Board and have volunteered to clean communities, work with youth and elderly groups and do “hands on” work in our community.
What can the city do to help residents cope with the rising cost of living?
The city can help expedite its part of the building of the Kapolei “Second City.” The city can stagger work hours for city organizations thereby saving costs for those having to burn gas while stalled in traffic. The city should use correction inmates for the cleaning of parks, beaches, road sides and city streets. We should initiate working units of unemployed, volunteer and city employees to help get parks, parking lots and streets cleaned. We can avoid those who feel that manual labor is beneath their dignity.
Should the city continue with its planned rail transit system? Please explain.
As one currently doing weekly business in Kapolei, I see the necessity of having rail on the Leeward side. More cars will only bring more carbon monoxide. When we built the H-3 freeway the entire island was taxed. When we widened Kalanianaole Highway from Kahala to Hawaii Kai, the entire island was taxed. Both were done to improve poor traffic conditions. It is time to help Leeward residents. However, if the voters on the Windward side show strong opposition to the rail, I would not be able to vote in favor, as much as I feel it is necessary.
What should the city do to improve the quality of Honolulu’s roads?
We have more potholes than we can handle. The first order of business is to check the products being used for road work. Obviously, what we now use is not working. Second, we should have the road crews working at night instead of days and holding up traffic. Why are roads built and repaired so much faster on the mainland than in Hawaii? Send someone to California or any other state to see why they enjoy so much more success than we do.
What should the city do about homelessness?
Having visited them weekly on the beaches in my area, I find that they are in three categories: 1) Those who are economically challenged; 2) Those that have medical challenges and cannot afford a home; and 3) Those that choose to be on the beaches. I would say we concentrate on No. 1 and try to place them in transitional and/or semi-permanent housing and provide medical services and transitional housing for No. 2. As a priority, we need to focus on children to be sure that they are all in school each day and that they have three square meals each day.
Barbara Marshall
Age: 64
Job: City Council chairwoman
Past: Nearly six years’ service on Honolulu City Council
What qualifies you to be a City Council member?
My background as a broadcast journalist, including extensive coverage of government and investigative reporting; plus nearly six years on the Honolulu City Council, including serving as chair, and earlier chair of Zoning, Public Works and other key committees.
What can the city do to help residents cope with the rising cost of living?
The Council works diligently to hold the tax rate. I have succeeded in lowering the tax rate and in holding it this year. The city is limited in much that it can do because the state controls not only the way the city raises revenue, but in what the city pays for many high-ticket items, from salaries for public service (including HPD and HFD), to the amount of your tax paid for the retirement of government workers. Nonetheless, we work to confine the costs of government.
Should the city continue with its planned rail transit system? Please explain.
No. I have opposed the project from its inception. While many focus on the $4.5B billion construction cost, I’m more concerned about operating costs, which I believe could bankrupt the city. We have been unable to obtain any explanation of the operation and maintenance costs. In fact, we don’t even have a firm technology selected. If the mayor does in fact get his “train” — steel wheels on steel rail — there is a list of concerns, beginning with the cost in dollars and energy in running a train, especially the per-person cost, which recent polls show will be ridden by only a few people. If construction costs skyrocket, as I believe they will, future administrations and Councils will be faced with how to pay these increased costs. Right now, the city is limited by ordinance to paying for construction with federal grants and the additional half-percent excise tax. But that could change, either by a proposed charter amendment or a change in the ordinance. And then the question will be how to pay: by raising property taxes? That’s virtually the only major revenue source given to the city by the state.
What should the city do to improve the quality of Honolulu’s roads?
The city needs to increase the rate of road repaving and reconstruction, if the city’s taxpayers can take another hit. The problem, again, is the limited revenue-raising ability given the city. But taxpayers are fed up with poor roads. So they may be willing to adopt this as a top priority.
What should the city do about homelessness?
The city needs to continue to work with homeless advocates to support all efforts — private, public/private, and public. This is a never-ending battle that must have continual cooperative effort.
Leigh Prentiss
Age: 61
Job: Comptroller and retail manager
What qualifies you to be a City Council member?
Effective government at the City Council requires well-honed leadership and management skills, respectful discourse, vision and a willingness to serve unselfishly as your community’s ombudsman, advocate and spokesperson. For 30 years I have proven my commitment, working with adults and children, working to protect the culture and lifestyle unique to Oahu, and working to identify and to help resolve problems. Council District 3 deserves a councilmember who works well with the state and neighborhood boards, who listens respectfully to diverse opinions and who seeks out the voters and asks, “What do you think?” I pledge to be that councilmember.
What can the city do to help residents cope with the rising cost of living?
The city can help in the areas of lower property taxes, commuting alternatives, housing costs and zoning. Alternatives to the automobile should be provided, especially in Leeward Oahu. A meaningful percentage of low-cost housing including rentals should be required with all developments. We can help reduce the high cost of food by not rezoning our important agricultural land.
Electricity costs are increasing drastically. We should follow up on the recent Legislature’s requirement for solar water heaters in new development by also requiring alternative electric energy systems such as wind and photovoltaics where feasible, and increase tax credits for existing homes.
Should the city continue with its planned rail transit system? Please explain.
Leeward Oahu needs an effective alternative to automobile commuting. I have supported the City Charter provisions for initiative and referendum, so I feel that a vote on a rail system is proper. Based upon the recent Advertiser poll, it would appear that the rail system would be approved by the voters. If so, the task ahead would be to assure that the money spent and the system’s design will be done carefully and honestly. If the system goes ahead, the mayor should consider compensating the Windward community as he has compensated the Leeward community for the Waimanalo Gulch landfill.
What should the city do to improve the quality of Honolulu’s roads?
The city should have a more carefully engineered street paving program that is more transparent to the public. With the exception of the pothole hotline, there is insufficient opportunity for public input into the paving program.
At the same time, smooth streets cause higher speeds, and the current level of pedestrian deaths and vehicle accidents is unacceptable. We need to bring our island into the 21st century through the use of modern traffic safety and traffic calming measures.
What should the city do about homelessness?
A one-size-fits-all solution is not the answer for homelessness. Some are drug addicts or mentally ill. Some are working families within $100 of affording a rental. The economy is a major factor affecting the numbers of homeless, as are wage levels and the availability of rental housing. More rental housing needs to be built without demolishing old units so that affordable units are filtered down. The list of practical solutions is long: job training, medical care, drug rehabilitation, etc.; all have a part. It will take a multi-jurisdictional effort, and the political will to support solutions.
